Summary: As short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts flood social media feeds, researchers are uncovering why some people are more vulnerable to Short Video Addiction (SVA). A recent study indicates that attachment anxiety — a relational pattern shaped by fear of abandonment — is a key predictor of SVA.
The study highlights two critical weaknesses in emotional processing — reduced attentional control and alexithymia (difficulty recognizing and describing emotions) — that drive anxious individuals to use short videos as an external emotional regulator and an escape from distress.
Key Facts
- The Emotional Anchor: Higher levels of attachment anxiety are linked to a greater risk of developing SVA because anxious attachment makes internal emotional regulation more difficult.
- Alexithymia as a Driver: People who struggle to understand or name their feelings are more likely to lean on rapid, reward-rich short videos to numb unpleasant emotions or avoid mental discomfort.
- Attention as a Shield: Strong attentional control — the ability to choose and sustain focus — protects people from addictive patterns; even with attachment anxiety, good concentration reduces SVA risk.
- The Vicious Cycle: Poor attentional control can worsen alexithymia, creating compounded vulnerability that short, fast-paced videos exploit with constant novelty and rewards.
Source: Frontiers
Short videos are now a ubiquitous part of the social media environment. Their brief, information-rich format delivers frequent, small rewards that stimulate the brain’s pleasure systems. When viewing becomes excessive, some users develop short video addiction (SVA), a maladaptive pattern marked by diminished ability to regulate viewing and negative impacts on daily functioning, mental health, and physical well-being.
With SVA on the rise among young people, understanding psychological vulnerabilities that increase risk is essential. A new study from researchers in China, published in Frontiers in Psychology, explored how attachment anxiety contributes to SVA and how attentional control and alexithymia mediate this relationship.
“We show that higher levels of attachment anxiety are associated with a greater risk of SVA,” said Haodong Su, the study’s first author and a lecturer at the College of Humanities at Anhui Science and Technology University. “Poorer attentional control — the ability to direct and sustain focus — and difficulties processing one’s own or others’ emotions help explain this link.”
Pathways to Addiction
The researchers surveyed 342 university students aged 18 to 22, measuring short video addiction, attachment anxiety, attentional control (concentration), and alexithymia, a trait that reflects difficulty identifying and describing emotions. Prior work indicates alexithymia is relatively common among young adults, especially during stressful periods or developmental transitions.
Results showed that attachment anxiety predicted higher SVA levels. Two primary mechanisms helped explain this association: reduced attentional control and increased alexithymia. Earlier studies have linked attachment anxiety to weaker attentional regulation and more pronounced alexithymic traits; this study integrates those findings to explain susceptibility to addictive short-video use.
When internal emotional regulation is weak, people may increasingly rely on external regulators — in this case, short videos — to escape discomfort. “Individuals with more severe alexithymia symptoms showed significantly higher levels of SVA, indicating that trouble identifying and expressing emotions can lead to greater reliance on short videos as an emotional escape,” Su explained. The researchers also found that poorer attentional control often intensifies alexithymia, forming a sequential pathway from attachment anxiety to SVA.
Protected by Attention
Importantly, attentional control can act as a buffer. Young people who can better sustain and control their attention are less likely to develop addictive short-video habits, even when experiencing emotional difficulties like attachment anxiety. Practical measures — setting viewing limits, creating phone-free periods, and building routines that encourage emotional reflection — can help those struggling with focus or alexithymia.
“Attentional control is not fixed and can be improved with practice,” Su said. “Mindfulness training, reducing multitasking, and scheduling dedicated, focused activities can strengthen attention regulation and reduce SVA risk.”
The authors note limitations: the study relied on self-reported data, used a cross-sectional design that shows associations rather than causal relationships, and the sample was gender-imbalanced (about 72% male). Because attachment anxiety and attentional control can vary by gender, future research with more balanced samples and longitudinal designs is needed to confirm these patterns.
“Our findings suggest that strengthening attentional control and emotional awareness — rather than focusing only on restricting screen time — can be effective in preventing SVA,” Su concluded. “Short video addiction involves not just screen exposure but how people regulate emotions and attention in the digital environment.”
Key Questions Answered:
A: If you have attachment anxiety, you remain vigilant for social rejection or abandonment, creating a background level of stress. Short videos provide instant, easy dopamine hits that distract from anxious thoughts and can feel like a digital security blanket.
A: Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty identifying and describing emotions. If you frequently feel “off” but can’t label whether you’re sad, angry, or lonely, you may be more likely to use short videos to dull that unclear emotional state.
A: The study emphasizes improving attentional control. Because attention can be trained, practices like mindfulness and monotasking (doing one task at a time) help you direct focus away from infinite scrolling and lower the chance of becoming trapped by compulsive viewing.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by editorial staff.
About this psychology research news
Author: Deborah Pirchner
Source: Frontiers
Contact: Deborah Pirchner – Frontiers
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. “From Attachment Anxiety to Short Video Addiction: The Roles of Attentional Control and Alexithymia” by Haodong Su, Dan Luo, Hongyu Wang, Xiaodong Li, and Ye He. Frontiers in Psychology
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1764536
Abstract
From Attachment Anxiety to Short Video Addiction: The Roles of Attentional Control and Alexithymia
Introduction: Short video addiction is a common behavioral concern among young adults, but its psychological mechanisms remain unclear. Using attachment theory as a framework, this study explored links between attachment anxiety, attentional control, alexithymia, and short video addiction.
Methods: Three hundred forty-two Chinese university students completed self-report measures of attachment anxiety, attentional control, alexithymia, and short video addiction. Mediation analyses evaluated whether attentional control and alexithymia explained associations between attachment anxiety and addictive tendencies.
Results: Attachment anxiety was positively associated with short video addiction. Indirect pathways were identified through lower attentional control and higher alexithymia. A sequential pathway also emerged: weaker attentional control was linked to greater alexithymia, which in turn corresponded with stronger addictive tendencies.
Discussion: These findings offer an integrated model showing how attachment-related vulnerabilities connect to cognitive and emotional traits that increase the risk of short video addiction. The results point to attentional and emotional skills as potential targets for prevention and intervention among young adults.